From mybroadband

Naspers, owner of DStv through MultiChoice, will unveil its competitor to Netflix on 19 August, speculation in the broadcasting industry suggests.

Sources told MyBroadband that Naspers has secretly been working on a subscription video on demand (SVOD) service, and is planning to launch it in August.

Speculation about the reveal started after a public relations company often used by MultiChoice sent out an invitation to an event about “the most innovative and exciting entertainment service” in South Africa.

Sources said Naspers aims to roll out quickly to large developing economies to beat Netflix to market in those regions.

Netflix announced at the start of 2015 that it will complete its international expansion strategy sooner than expected, and plans to have a global footprint by the end of 2016.

A spokesperson for the company confirmed its plans include South Africa.

Naspers therefore had to move quickly to take the fight to Netflix, which it did by acquiring a stake in Icflix through MultiChoice in April 2015.

Icflix is a UAE-based VOD platform offering on-demand video services to Morocco, Egypt, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, and Saudi Arabia.

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